peters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL T. THOMAS, OF LANVRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOOM.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,187, dated July 3, 1855.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. THOMAS, of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Loom for Fancy lVeaving; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, let-ters, figures, and references thereof.

Of said drawings, Figure 1, denotes a top view of my improved loom; Fig. Q, a front elevation of it; Fig. 3, an elevation of the right end of it; Fig. 4, an elevation of the left end of it; Fig. 5, a rear elevation of it; Fig. G, is a vertical and longitudinal section of it, the same being taken through the cam shaft C, to be hereinafter described; Fig. 7, is a transverse and central section of such loom, it being taken so to exhibit the parts on the left of the plane of section; Fig. 8, is a vertical and longitudinal section of the cam shaft C, and the cam for operating the shuttle boxes. Fig. 9 is a vertical and transverse section of the detached balance wheel and its friction clutch wheel to be hereinafter described.

In the drawings, A, is the main frame of the loom.

B is the main driving shaft; C, the cam shaft; D, the lay; E, the breast beam; F, and G, two series of movable shuttle boxes (applied to opposite ends of the race beam) and H, I-I, H, are the harnesses or bars to represent them-the front two harnesses or bars being employed for the plain selvage or stripe weaving, while the others are for fancy weaving. Each of the said harnesses is supported by four cords I, I, two of which extend vertically and are made to pass against and horizontally over two friction sheaves or pulleys K, K arranged at the upper part of the loom as seen in the drawings. From thence these cords are united or fastened to the upper end ofA one of a series of rocker levers L, L, disposed as seen in Figs. l, 2 and 6, the lower arm of said lever being fastened to two other cords I, I', which pass horizontally from and under and against pulleys K2, K3, and thence up to the harness. Each harness by such an arrangement of pulleys and cords is caused when its rocker is moved upon the fulcrum M, thereof to play in a vertical plane.

From each rocker lever L, an arm N, extends as seen in Figs. 2, and 6, and carries a projection or friction roller, which extends into a cam groove a, made in a rocker sector, O, arranged and made to turn on a fulcrum or shaft I), as seen in the drawing. The periphery of this rocker sector is serrated and engages with a toothed neck b, formed upon the lower end ofthe lifter or bar R, arranged and formed as seen in Figs. l, 4, and 6. The series of lifters R, R, opcrates in connection with an elevator S, and a depressor, T, which are bars projecting respectively from two vertical sliding shafts V, lV, disposed as seen in Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

A reciprocating movement is imparted to each of the shafts V, lV, (they at the same time being moved in opposite directions) by means of cranks and connecting rods arranged as seen at X, Y, and Z, Q, in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. A horizontal shaft, c, carries the said two cranks X, Y and is driven by two gears d, e, applied to it and the main driving shaft as seen in the drawings, and

particularly in Fig. 4.

Each of the lifters R, has applied to it a bent lever f, as seen in Fig. 6, said bent lever being made to play vertically upon a horizontal pin or fulcrum g. The lower or the shorter arm of said lever rests against the lifter or is borne against it by the gravitating power of a weight 7L, (or the equivalent thereof) xed to the longer arm. There is a small pin or stud z', projecting from the longer or horizontal arm of each lever f, the series of pins being made tooperate in connection with a jacquard prism 7c, and a pattern card chain, Z, which are arranged as seen in the drawings and are moved either upward or downward so as Y to carry them either toward or away from the series of levers as occasion may requlre.

Such movements of the pattern prism may be effected by means of any suitable mechanism; that which I employ consisting of a horizontal rocker shaft, which sustains the journals of the pattern prism by means of arms n, n, and has a third arm, o, projected backward from it (as seen in the drawings) and jointed to the upper end of a connecting rod P, whose lower end is jointed to a crank, g, fixed upon the end of the main driving shaft B.

By means of the jacquard pattern prism and card (which may be put in rotation by any suitable mechanism and operated at proper periods,) the series of bent levers f, f, the series of lifters R, R, the series of reciprocating rocker sectors O, O,the cams a,

and the arms N, N, of the rocker levers L, L, the movements of the harnesses are regulated so as to dispense with a great deal of unnecessary motion to which they are subjected in most other fancy looms, and which has a tendency not only to produce a wear of them, but a corresponding wear of the warps.

The mechanism in other fancy looms is so constructed as to close all the warps together at or during every beat of the lay and previous to the elevation and depression of Vsuch of them as were to be employed for the next throw of the shuttle. rIhis movement or mixing together of all the warps is not effected by or in my machine, for those warps, which have been either elevated or depressed, are maintained stationary either up or down, as the case may be when the lay beats up. Each warp thread will thus remain stationary until it becomes necessary to move it and no matter what may be the number of the beats of the lay in the interim. By such a mode of operating t-he harnesses and maintaining them` at rest much Wear of them and the warps is prevented,such a result being effected by the employment of the rocker sector and its Vgrooved cam in connection with the arm of the rocker lever and with the lifter substantially in manner as set forth. I would also observe that not only by combining with the pattern prism and the lifters, the bent levers arranged with respect to the same as above described, but by givino' to said pattern prism, vert-ical or up anc down instead of horizontal motions (as pattern prisms of a jacquard apparatus are generally operated) a very important result is effected, for when a pattern prism is moved horizo-ntally in the usual way it is found very difficult to maintain the working leaf of the cards in contact with the working face of the prism, as both face and leaf stand in vertical, or nearly vertical positions. Such positions of them require a bar or some other contrivance s0 applied to the pattern chain as to keep it in contact with the working face of the prism otherwise the wires are liable to miss their hold of the pattern cord and produce a false movement of the harnesses or warps.

In my improved loom the gravitating power of the pattern chain' is employed to maintain its working leaf in close contact with the working -face of the pattern prism, which is always uppermost. In order that the lifters may operate to advantage, I arrange each of them at a slight inclination from the vertical and in a direction toward its bent lever, f. Under such an arrangement of the lifter its gravitating power will generally, be suflicient to effect its movement in a direction toward the lever whenever occasion may require, but in case, such gravitating power may not be suflicient to produce such an effect particularly when the loom is running at high speed, a small spring may be applied to each lifter so as to insure its movement in the direction required. The cords of each of the front two harnesses are led around guide pulleys r, s, and vertically toward and are fastened to the end of one of two levers t, u, see Figs. l, 2 and 7, these levers at their rear ends turning vertically upon a fulcrum U. Each of said levers is moved in a vertical plane by means of a cam WV or X, fixed upon the cam shaft C, said cam shaft being made to receive its motion from the main driving shaft by means of a train of gears Q, and z, see Figs. 1,3 and 5.

Each of the cams W and X', is formed with a cam groove made in one side of it, and for the purpose of receiving a stud or friction roller projecting from the lever t, or u, immediately adjacent thereto. The cam has a continuous rotary motion imparted to it, its groove being so formed as during such to give to the lever such an upward or downward motion, and interval or intervals of rest, as may be necessary to insure the correct operation of the harness.

In the mechanism last described only one lever and cam are employed to operate a harness, whereas by the ordinary method of moving a harness with treadles and a cam, two treadles and two cams become necessary.

Each set F, Gr, of movable shuttle boxes, hereinbefore mentioned is sustained upon the upper end of a rod a', which is supported so as to slide freely, upward and downward and is connected to a lever c by means of a link b', jointed to both. The said lever c at its rear end is jointed to another lever cZ, and near the fulcrum e', thereof, as seen in Figs. 8 and 4c. The lever d', has vertical movements imparted to it by means of a star cam f, which turns upon a long horizontal shaft g, extending through both ends of the loom. Between t-he two levers o, CZ, is a wedge L, which is affixed to one side of a slide bar t", which slides freely in bearings fixed to the lower lever d.

Against a projection c, from the inner side of the slide bar, i, a stud Z, extended from a lever m, or a, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) is caused to bear one of these levers, viz., m, or that situated at the right end of the loom, turns freely on a horizontal shaft o', the other lever a', or that situated at the other end of the loom being aflixed to said A These cams are also represented in Fig. 8. They are for the purpose of operating the levers m', n. The periphery of one of them, viz., p', rests against an arm r, pro jecting from the lever n', while the periphery of the other cam g', works in Contact with a curved arm s, fixed to, and extending from the shaft o. Each of the continuous star cams f, p, g', on the left side of the machine revolves freely on its shaft g and has a friction pulley or barrel t', aiiixed to one side of it, there being a friction brake" or strap u', extended around and against t-he periphery of the barrel and serving to maintain the star cam in any position into which it may be turned by its pawl and ratchet, each of said continuous star cams being provided with a ratchet as seen at lw', y. Besides the ratchet above mentioned there is another ratchet s', which is fixed upon the shaft g, and is for the purpose of putting said shaft in rotation. The several ratchets are respectively furnished with sliding impelling pawls a2, b2, 02, (Z2, which are arranged as seen in Figs. 4 and 10, each pawl being provided with a standard e2, which rises above the pawl and in front of the lower arm of a rocker lever f2, whose upper arm rests in contact with the periphery of a cam g2, fixed upon the`cam shaft C. To each pawl there is also applied a retractive spring h2, the rear end of each pawl being provided with a notch or shoulder as seen at 52, which is intended to operate in connection with one of a series of upright and bent wires k2, which are supported so as to slide freely in vertical directions through guides Z2, m2, the upper parts of these wires are curved semicircularly and operate in connection with a pattern prism n2, and pattern card chain 02, arranged as seen in the drawings. The shaft of this pattern prism projects vertically from a slide rod p2, from which an arm g2 extends toward and rests upon a cam r2, fixed upon the driving shaft. This cam serves to elevate the slide rod and its pattern prism, While a spring 82, fixed upon the rod and bearing against a projection t2, through which the rod slides, serves to depress said rod and said pattern prism. Whenever any one of the wires k2, drops into a hole of its pattern prism, its lower end will be so carried below the top of the shoulder 2, of its pawl as to prevent said pawl from being retracted by its spring and carried into contact with the rocker lever f2.

During the rotation of the cam g2, such of the impelling pawls a2, b2, 02, d2, as may have their posts or standards in contact with the rocker lever f2, will be driven forward and will turn their ratchets so as to rotate their respect-ive star wheels, the order or periods of such rotation being governed by the pattern prism and its chain 02.

The above described machinery not only causes each series of shuttle boxes to be operated independently of the other and so that it may be moved to any desirable extent, while the other is either stationary or put in movement, but it serves to cause either of the series of shuttle boxes to be moved (whenever such may be necessary) double the distance of the other in the same length of time. This latter movement of either series of shuttle boxes is produced by its star cam f, and the wedge t, over the same, the said wedge during the time the star cam is elevating the lever d being forced or moved between said lever d and t-he lever c', over it, so as, in connection with the star cam, to produce a compound movement of the lever c, and the series of shuttle boxes immediately connected with it.

My improvement enables me to use five shuttles in two series of boxes in which there are three boxes in each series, whereas where two such series of shuttle boxes are so connected by mechanism that their movements in opposite directions are alike, the movement of the one being dependent on that of t-he other, and controlled by the same mechanism only three shuttles could be employed in them. Thus it will be seen that my method of operating the two series of shuttle boxes by two mechanisms independent of one another and controlled by one jacquard apparatus situated at one end of the loom possesses an important advantage comparatively speaking.

On the main driving shaft B, there is placed a fly or balance wheel u2, it being so applied to the shaft as to be capable of free rotation thereon, such balance wheel and the friction clutch wheel with which it acts is shown in sect-ion in Fig. 9. The latter wheel @2, is fixed firmly to the main shaft and has a conical surface or periphery fm2, which extends from it and enters a corresponding recess x2, made within the l balance wheel.

rPhe neck of the balance wheel is provided with a groove y2, which extends around it and receives a forked rocker lever .22, see Figs. l, 2 and 3. The fulcrum shaft of said lever being supported by two struts a3, as, projected from the end of the frame work. The shaft b3, of the shipper c3, is connected. with the rocker lever e2, by means of a third rocker lever als, and so that when the shipper moves toward its holding notch or shoulder e3, it shall cause the det-ached balance or fiy wheel to be moved toward and against its friction clutch wheel, a spring f3, upon the .shaft of the shipper serving to produce a contrary movement of the fly wheel when the shipper is thrown off its shoulder. The detached Hy wheel may not only serve as a fly but also as a pulley for the driving belt of the loom to run upon.

The object of having a fly or balance wheel applied to the loom in the above described manner, is to enable the loom whenever it is set in motion to be started with a force sufficient to throw the shuttle with certainty across the race beam which cannot always be effected where the loom is to be put in operation by slipping the driving belt, from a loose to a fas-t pulley, applied to its driving shaft and said shaft has a fly wheel fastened to it. A further object of the detached fly wheel, and the mechanism for moving it on the main shaft is to so separate the said fly wheel from the driving shaft just prior to a stoppage of the loom in order that the loom may be relieved of the momentum of the fly wheel which were the motion of the fly suddenly arrested would not only produce a great and injurious strain on the working parts of the loom, but other disadvantageous results. rThe friction clutch prevents the momentum of the fly from straining or doing injury to the mechanism set in operation by it.

To the periphery of the friction clutch o2,

a friction brake g3, is applied as seen in Figs, 1 and 3, such friction brake being provided with a lever latch h3, which turns horizontally on or in the brake as a fulcrum and is jointed to an upright lever 3 whose lower arm is bifurcated and made "to straddle a projection 7c3, extending from the shipper shaft, the same being as represented in Fig. 2. Then the shipper is thrown from its notch, the hook of the lever latch 7b3 willv be moved up against the side of the clutch wheel o2, and will catch upon a projection or stud if, fix-ed upon the same as seen in Fig. 12, which represents an inner side view of the clutch wheel.

The object of the brake g3, the latch ha, and stud Z3, is to prevent the loom from making a false pick7 immediately after the filling fork or weft stop motion has been put in operation which otherwise would invariably take place.

Having thus described my improved loom what I claim is follows:

1. I claim combining with each rocker lever L, and the lifter It, thereof, an arm N, cam a, and sector 0, or the equivalent or equivalents thereof, the whole being applied together and made to operate in the manner essentially as specified.

2. I also claim combining with the series of lifters R, R, and the pattern 'prism 7c, a series of bent levers f, f, or their equivalents,

and imparting to the pattern prism vertical, or up and down movements as described, the same being to produce advantages as stated. 3. I also claim when the upper and lower sets of cords of a harness are supported by pulleys as described, applying both said upper and lower sets of cords to one and the same end of a lever operated by a. cam having a continuous rotation as described.

1. I also claim, combining with the star cam and lever for moving a set of shuttle boxes a mechanism substantially as described for imparting an accelerated movement to the set of shuttle boxes as explained,

the said mechanism consisting of the additional lever CZ, the movable wedge L, and its operative mechanism a`s described.

5. I also claim the above described arrangement of a jacquard, the wires thereof, the impelling pawls, and the star cams and their shafts, whereby one jacquard apparatus applied at one end of the loom, is made to operate two independent shuttle motions of the loom as explained.

6. I also claim so applying to the main shaft a friction clutch wheel, and a fly or balance wheel that the fly may run loosely upon the shaft and be capable of being moved either toward or away from the friction clutch, in combination with so connecting the fly with the shipper that the said fly shall be moved laterally during and by the movements of the shipper as described.

7. I also claim, combining with the friction wheel and the shipper as described al brake mechanism for throwing said brake g3, into and out of operation as specified, such mechanism consisting of the lever latch LB, the projection Z3, and spring f3, as specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature this seventh day of April A.

SAMUEL T. THOMAS. Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

